Viscosimeter



Aug. 5, 1930. 1 L 1,772,028

VISCOSIMETER Filed Jan. 19 192.9 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

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ATTORNEY J. M. BELL VISCOSIMETER Filed Jan. 19,

1929 2 Sheets-Sheep 2 INVENTOR aaimmaezz,

ATTORN EY Aug 5 1930.

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Pateted Aug, 5, 193d Jenn mo'u'reoranmr BELL, or onnsrnn, sourn canonma vrscosmn'rnn Application 'm a January 19, 1929. Serial No.'333,6'12a This invention appertains to improvements 1D. vlscosimeters generally, and more articularly to a mechanical type of the sameor determining the viscosity of lubricating oils and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the class set forth, which is of an extremely simple but durable and efliparts, as

cient construction and arrangement of parts, and which will be comparatively lnexpensive' to manufacture, maintain and operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide. an apparatus as hereinbefore characterized, which will be well within the means and reach of the proprietors of the average automobile service stations, as. well as the oil producers and refiners, so that they can readily and easily prove to their customers the merits-claimed for the pensed or produced by them by actual demonstration to such customers of the viscous characteristics of such oils. 1

With the foregoing and other equally important objects in view, the invention resides in the certain new and useful combinatiomconstruction and arrangement of will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is afront elevation of a practical embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentar vertical section taken on the line 4+4 0 Figure 2 i Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a section similar to that of Figure 5, but, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring tothe drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof, the embodiment of the invention, as shown therein by way of example, is constituted in a frame consisting of an elongated fiat base 10, with pairs of transversely spaced standards or uprights 11 and 12 rising from and adjacent to the opposite ends thereof,

lubricating oils disand a flat plate or crossbar 13 secured on the upper ends of the standards or uprights 11 and 12.

Depending through an opening formed in the top plate or bar 13 at'the upper side of the frame, and to one side of the, transverse center thereof, is a tubular bearing sleeve 14, which is exteriorly screw threaded at its upper end to receive a supporting collar 15 thereon, the latter resting directly on the upper side ofthebar 13, substantially as is shown in Figure 4.

Passing downwardly throughthe bearing sleeve 14: isa shaft or spindle 16, which has its upper end projecting for a distance above the supporting collar 15 at the upper side or the plate or bar 13, and consequently above the upper end of the sleeve 14:, andscrew threadedfor vertical movement in alined and similarly threaded openings formed centralin a pair of superimposed plates or cross bars 17 and 18, which are secured in horizontal position on the upper ends of a pair of'spaced posts 19 rising from the upperside of the plate or bar 13.

Spaced above the upper plate or bar 18 is a parallel plate or bar 20,- which is en ported at its opposite ends on the upper en s ofa second pair of posts 21 rising from the plateor bar '18, in line with the lower pair of posts or'standards-lt). Ofiset from the upper and lower ends of each of the osts 21 are a pair of substantially U-shaped brackets 22 which have their connected portions extending in vertically spaced relation and in edgewise alinement.

Secured on the' outer vertical faces of these brackets 22, by means of'screws or the like 23, is a metal plate 24:, which has its lower edge out to form an arc, and along the outer face of which is arranged a series of graduations of increasing value from the zero graduation at the left-hand end thereof.

rejecting outwardly from the opposite corners of the top edge portion of the dial plate 24 are a pair of members or studs 25, which dependingly support from the outer ends of the same, a second metal late 26. This front or face plate 26 is, there ore, spaced slightly in advance of the dial plate 23, but, as shown,

has its lower edge shortened to expose be- 5 or cross bar 20, and extending transversely thereof is a substantially U-shapedbracket 27, between the upstanding legs of which a supporting pivot 28, for an index finger 29 is trunnioned on screws or the like 30 threaded inwardly from the opposite outer sides of the leg portions of the bracket. The index finger29 rises from the outer end of the pivot 28, and is then bent outwardly andjolownwardly over the top edge of the dialplate 23,

so that its free end projects downwardly between the plates 23 and 26 to dispose its extremity in proximityto and for cooperation with the graduated scale arranged along the lower edge portion of the dial plate 24. Projecting from one side of the pivot 28 is a lug 31, which has a depression in its lower side toreceive the upper end of a steel pin 32, depending through an opening formed in the top plate or cross bar 20, and having its lower end engaged in a depression formed in the center of the upper threaded end of the shaft or spindle 16. With the shaft or spindle 20 disposed in its normal or uppermost position, the lug 31-, projecting from the index'pivot 28, is supported on the pin 32 in a substantially horizontal position when the index linger 29 will be in registry with the zero graduation at the left-hand end of the metal plate 24 on the outer face of the dial plate 23. A coiled spring 33 is attached at one end to the pivot 28, and has its other end secured to the upright outer end portion of an angled bracket 34 projecting endwisefroin the outer side of the upper horizontal leg portion of the supporting bracket 22, at the rear ofthe lefthand side of the dial plate 24.

Provided at the lower end of the shaft 16 is a circular plate or disk 35, which has a comparatively shallow depression 36 formed in its upper face and surrounding the connected end of the shaft. Also the plate or disk 36 is formed with a plurality of vertically extending apertures 37, which open into the depression 36, and are preferably equidistantly spaced one from the other and'from the shaft end.

Mounted for free rotation about the depending sleeve 14, below the top frame plate 14 is a pulley 38, which has its downwardly elongated hub portion 39 bearing on an annular flange 40 outturned from the sleeve 14. Carried at the lower end of the hub 39 is a circular plate or disk 41, which is a counterpart of the plate or disk 35 at the lower end of the shaft 16, except that the depression 42 therein provided is formed in its lower face, and directly opposite to. the depression 36. The upper disk 41 also has apertures 43 formed in the same and corresponding to the apertures 37, both withregard to form and location, of the same in the-lower disk 35.

The pulley 38 is to be driven at a proper speed by means of a'wrapping connector 44 from a pulley 45 at the lower endof the shaft of an electric motor 46, which is mounted in a clamp bracket 47, positioned on the upper side of the top frame or bar 13, and has the shaft end projecting downwardly through an opening formed in the latter to support the pulley 45 thereon in line with the pulley 38.

tested, a container 48 is provided, and the same is carried by and between the oppositely spaced arms of a bracket 49. Projecting outwardly from the center of the connected portiori of this bracket 49 is a bolt 50, which is engaged through an alined opening formed centrally of a pair of clamp members 51 and 52, arranged to span the spaced standards 11 at the inner and outer sides thereof, and these I clamp members are adjustably secured thereon by means of a wing nut 53 threaded onto the outer end of the bracket bolt 50. This container 48 is provided with an ofiset spout portion 54 at one side of the same, which admits of the support of the lower end of a thermometer 55 within the same, and in contact with the fluid contents of the container. The container 48 is supported from the bracket 49 at theinner sides of the standards or uprights 11, and in centered relation with respect to the disks 35- and .41, so that when the bracket 49 and the clamp members 51 and 52 are adjusted vertically on the standards or uprights 11, the disks 35 and 41 will depend within the container and be immersed in the fluid contents thereof. When fully lowered, the bottom of the container 48 will be supported directly on the upper side of the base 10. For filling and emptying the container, the same may be readily removed from position on the base 10 by unthreading the wing nut 53 from the bolt 50, and withdrawing the latter from the openings in the clamp members 51 and 52, when thebracket 49 is available for use as a handle for the container.

Pivotally mounted on the upper side of the base 10, at a point thereon immediately inward of the standards 12, is an elongated bracket 56 on the upper side of the free end of which an electric heater 57 is supported, so that when the bracket is swung on its pivot 58 into alined overlying relation with respect to the base 10, the same .will be positioned'directly beneath the container 48, the latter being moved to its raised position for the purpose. \Vhen the heater 57 is not in active use, the same may be readily moved to one side of the frame andout of the way of the same by swinging the bracket frame13, at one side of the cross bar 17 is.

a three-wa distributing socket 59 which has a two-con uctor cord 60 leading from the upper side of the'same to the terminals of the motor, and a similar conductor 61 leading from one side thereof and connecting the terminals of the heater 56. A plug connector (not shown) is to be detachably engaged in the contact openings at the opposite side of the current distributing socket 59 for connecting the same to a suitable source of current supply. A control switch 62 may be provided at the upper side of the motor 17 to control its starting and stopping operations.

Attached to the shaft or spindle 16, and wound about the same at a point thereon between the top frame member or bar 13 and the cross bar 17 at the upper end of the posts or standards 19, is one end of a flexible member or cord 64, which has its outer end portion extending outwardly of the lefthand end of the frame, and trained over a pulley 65, journalled in a bracket 66 rising from the frame member or bar 13. The free end ,of this member or cord 64 depends from the outer side of the pulley 65, and has a weight 67 attached to the same, and which is normally disposed in its lowest position.

In the operation of the apparatus as thus constructed and arranged, a quantity of oil, or other liquid, to be tested is placed in the container 48, which is then clamped in a raised position on the standards or uprights 11, in a manner that the disks 35 and 41 are immersed well within the body of liquid. The proper raised position. of the container 48, with respect'to the disks 35 and 41 can best be determined by swinging the bracket 56 on its heater 57 eneath the container, when the bottom of the latter will just clear the upper side of the heater. With the thermometer 55 positioned in the spout 54 ofTthe container 48, and the heater 57 connected to the current supply by to the conductor 61, engaged at one side of the distributing socket 63, the liquid content of the container can be brought to a proper or desired temperature for a test. With the liquid in the container heated to a predetermined temperature, the. switch 62 will be operated to start the motor 46 when the pulley 38 will be driven, and will rotate the circular plate or disk 41, which is immersed together with the circular plate or disk 35 in the body of the liquid. In the initial position of the disks 35 and 41, the disk 35 is in close-up relation to the under side of the disk 41, and as the latter starts the disks. rotates the shaft or spindle '16,) and causes ivot 58 to dispose the electric a plug connector, attached to rotate, the-motion thereof is transmitted to the former by the layer of liquid between The rotation of the disk 35 now the same to move downwardly, y reason of the unscrewing action of its upper threaded end in the complementally threaded openings in the horizontal bars or members 17 and 18: As the shaft or spindle 16 lowers, the disk 35 carried thereby is also lowered away from the disk 41, and this action c0n tinues until the cohesion of the viscous liquid with respect to the opposed surfaces of the disks 35 and 41 is bro en down or reduced to zero. As the shaft or spindle 16 is rotated, it winds the attached end of the flexible member or cord 64 about the; same, and against the gravitational pull of the weight 67, and raises the latter until the pull of the sameneutralizes the further rotative effect of the viscous liquid between the disks 35 and 41 on the disk 35, and consequentlyon the'shaft or spindle 16, which happens when the cohesive effect of the liquid is rendered negligible by the separation of the disks.

With the lowering of the shaft or spindle 16, the steelpin 32 is also lowered correspondingly, and the tension of the coil spring 33 now causes the pivot 28 to turn on its trunnions 30, and move the index finger 29 along the graduated scale at the lower side of the front face of the dial plate 24, and when the shaft or spindle 16 and the weight 67 come to rest, at the point of neutralizing the rotative effect of the liquid on the lower disk 35, the reading to be obtained on the graduated scale at the index finger 29 will be'the absolute viscosity of the body of liquid at the temperature of the same at the time the reading is taken,

As soon as a reading is obtained on the dial scale,- the switch 62 will be operated to cut 06: the current from the motor 48, and when the latter comes to a full stop, the weight 67 will immediately lower and unwind the connected end portion of the flexible member or cord 64 from the shaft or spindle 16 to cause the latter to rotate in the reverse direction back to normally raised po sition.

air

Without further description, it is thought may be resorted to, without departing from details of construction,

the spirit of the invention or its scope as, I

claimed.

Having thus fully described the invention,

what is claimed is:

1. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises relatively rotatable members adapted to be immersed in a body of liquid to be tested, means for driving one the driven member, and an indicating means of said members whereby the rotary motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said members through an intervening portion of the liquid, means for moving said members apart to a distance where the intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting the motion from the driving member to operative with said driven member to indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid when the driven member ceases to rotate.

'2. Means for testing the viscosity of liq uids, which comprises relatively rotatable members adapted to be immersed in a body of liquid to be tested, means for driving one of said members whereby the rotary motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said members through an interveningportion of the liquid, means for heating the liquid to a desired temperature, means for moving said members apart to a distance where the intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting the motion from the driving member to the driven member, and an indicating means operative with said driven member to indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid when the driven member ceases to rotate.

3. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises a frame, a container detachably mounted on said frame to receive a body of liquid to be tested, relatively rotatable members carried by said frame and adapted to have complemental portions thereof immersed in a body of liquid in said container, means for driving one of said members whereby the rotary motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said members'through an intervening portion of the liquid, means for moving said members apart to a distance where the intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting motion from the driving member to the driven member, and an indicating means cooperative with said driven member to indicate j-ustment on said frame, relatively rotatable members carried by said frame and adapted to have complemental portions thereof immersed in a body of liquid in said container, means for driving one of said members whereby the rotary motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said members through an intervening portion of the liquid, means for causing said members to separate to a distance where the intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting motion from the driving member to the driven member, and an indicating means operable with said driven member to indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid when the driven member ceases to rotate.

5. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises a frame, a liquid receiving container mounted for vertical adjustment on' said frame, relatively rotatable members carried by said frame and adapted to have complemental portions thereof immersed in a body of liquid'in said container, means for driving one of said members whereby the rotary motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said members through an intervening'portion of the liquid, automatic means for causing said members to separate to a distance where the intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting motion from the driving member to the driven member, and anindicating means operative with said driven member to indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid when -the driven member ceases to rotate.

6. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises a frame, a liquid receiving container mounted for vertical adjustment on said frame, relatively rotatable members carried by said frame and adapted to have complemental portions thereof immersed in a body of liquid in said container, means fordrivingone of said members Whereby the rotary motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said members through an in tervening portion of the liquid, means automatically operable with said driven member for causing the latter to move away from said driving member to separate the members to a distance whereby intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting motion from the driving member to the driven member, and an indicating means operable with said driven memberto indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid when the driven member ceases to rotate.

7. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which. comprises a frame, a liquid receiving container mounted for vertical adjustment on said frame, a tubular bearing depending from the upper part of said frame, a power driven member rotatable about said bearing,- a shaft depending through said bearing and having its upper end screw threaded in a fixed part of said frame, disks carried at the lower ends of said power dr ven member and said'shaft, said disks being normally disposed in closely spaced relation and adapted to be immersed in the hquidwhen the container is adjusted to a ra sed position, the liquid between said disks bemg adapted to transmit motion from the dlSk' on the power driven member to the disk on said shaft whereby the latter will lower and thereby separate from the other of said disks, a flexible element adapted to be wound at one end of said shaft during rotative lowering movement thereof, a weight carried at the other end of said flexible eleable with the lowering moveme shaft ceases,

ment of said shaft to indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid .when the lowering movement of said shaft ceases, said weight acting to unwind said flexible element from said shaft and thereby causing the latter to rotate in a reverse direction and move to normally raised-position when the power is cut off from the member driven thereby.-

8. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises a frame, a liquid receiving container mounted for vertical adjustment. on said frame, a tubular bearing depending from the upper part of said frame, a power driven. member rotatable about said bearing, a shaft depending through said bearing and having its upper end screw threaded into a fixed part of said frame, disks carried at the lower ends ofsaid power driven member and said shaft, said disks beingnormally disposed in closely spaced relation and adapted to be immersed in the liquid when the container is adjusted to a raised position, the liquid between said disks being adapted to transmit motion from the disk on the power driven member to the disk on said shaft whereby the latter will lower and thereby separate from the other of said disks, a flexible element adapted to be wound at one end on said shaft during rotative lowering movement thereof, a weight carried at the other end of said flexible element and adapted to be moved to a raised position during the winding of the other end of the element on said shaft, means for heating the liquid in said container to a desired temperature, and an indicating means opernt of said shaft to indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid when the lowering movement of said said weight acting to unwind said flexible element from said shaft and thereby cause the latterto rotate in a reverse direction and move to normally raised position'when the ,power is cut off from the tion of the liquid, means for separating themember driven thereby.

9.-Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises relatively movable members adapted to be immersed in a body of liquid to be tested, means for imparting motion to one of said members whereby the motion'thereof will beimparted to the other of said members through the intervening pordriven member from the driving member to a distance Where the intervening liquid will cease to be eifect'ive in transmitting the mo- 1 tion from the latter to the former, and an indicating means operated by the said driven 10. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises relatively movable members having opposed surfaces spaced apart to receive therebetween a liquid to be tested, means for imparting motion to one of said members whereby the motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said mem-v bers through the intervening portion of the liquid, means for moving said other member to such a distance away from the-motion imparting member that the intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting motion from the latter to the former,

and indicating means operated by the separating movement of the said other member to indicate the absolute viscosity of the liquid when the motion ofthe latter substantially ceases. i

' 11. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises relatively movable members having opposed surfaces spaced apart to receive therebetween a liquid to be tested, means for imparting motion to one of said members whereby the motion thereof will be imparted to the other of said members through the intervening portion of the liquid, means for moving said other member 'to such a distance away from the motion im- 12. Means for testing the viscosity of liquids, which comprises relatively movable members having opposed surfaces spaced apart to receive therebetween a liquid to be tested, means for imparting motion to one of said members whereby the motion thereof will be imparted to the other ofsaid members uid, means for relatively moving said members apart to a distance thatthe intervening liquid will cease to be effective in transmitting motion from the motion imparting member to the said other member, means actuated by the separating movement of said members for indicating the absolute viscosity of the liquid at the moment of the substantial cessation of motion of thesaid other' member, and, means for maintaining the liquid uni,- formly at a predetermined temperature during the testing operation.

JOHN MONTGOMERY BELL.

member to indicate the absolute viscosity of the 'liquid when the motion of the same subu stantially ceases. v

through the intervening portion of the liq- 

